What Will Happen to R22 and How Does it Affect You

Published on May 17, 2016

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010 and you don’t know what R22 is then you should probably learn. Refrigerant is what makes the air coming from your air conditioner cool, so it’s obviously very important. Most AC systems installed in 2010 or before use an A/C refrigerant called R22. This refrigerant started being used in the 1950s and became the chief AC refrigerant in the residential HVAC industry.

Fast-forward a few decades and the world realized that R22 refrigerants were furthering the depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer. Not cool. So the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with the help of other agencies and groups, began a phase-out of many ozone-depleting agents, including R22 refrigerant.

By January 2010 the production and import of R22 would be prohibited. The loophole was current systems were considered a special case. So the creation and import ended, but R22 was still available for sell and use until the beginning of 2015. Then, by 2020, R22 would practically no longer be used, at least in the U.S.

So here’s a quick recap before we get into how this will affect you:

R22 is not manufactured anymore in North America

You can access recycled R22 now to service existing heating and air conditioning equipment that uses this specific air conditioning refrigerant

The amount charged for R22 is getting more expensive because of the short supply, and by 2020 will no longer be available

So how does this affect you?

If your heating and air conditioning system was manufactured after January 2010, your system will probably not be affected by the EPA refrigerant rules and regulations.

If your heating and air conditioning equipment was produced prior to January 2010, especially if it’s older than a decade, you have a few options:

1) Upgrade with today’s more environmental systems, which use the approved AC refrigerant.

2) Call an expert to replace the parts in your current AC system to help make it compatible with approved air conditioner refrigerant. This is not recommended because it could void your warranty(ies).

3) Continue using recycled R22 until 2020.

The easiest option is to upgrade your home with a new air conditioning system, particularly if your current AC system is already over 10 years old. Although making an unanticipated purchase may not be the easiest choice, Parker Pearce Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning has several financing options that help make the investment very affordable. A new piece of AC equipment will also be more efficient and deliver superior comfort, helping to reduce your utility costs.

The next alternative would vary in price and isn’t a permanent option. You could have your system retrofitted by an HVAC expert and move over to an approved air conditioning refrigerant. This entails far more than just flushing out the system and adding new AC refrigerant; it also requires that you replace the existing parts with new, compatible parts. Your manufacturer will most likely not cover the parts to make this change because retrofitting your air conditioner will likely void the warranty. It’s also not a lasting option and will most likely only give you a couple more years of use. It’s a short-term fix, and may be less expensive than a new system today, but the investment in a new upgraded air conditioning unit will probably benefit most homeowners in dependability, satisfaction, and long-term comfort.

The final alternative is to change nothing. You can continue to use recycled R22 AC refrigerant for the foreseeable future. While this may appear to be a great choice, you encounter a few issues. The cost of servicing old R22 AC equipment is starting to exceed several hundred dollars (easily a down payment on a new AC system). You may also see the prices climb as demand continues to rise on a product that is no longer manufactured or widely available.

If you aren’t sure what type of AC refrigerant your HVAC system uses, we are available to help. Call Parker Pearce Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today and we can provide an inspection to determine if you are currently using R22 and, if so, which option works best for you.

We know that the process of switching over to an approved AC refrigerant can be frustrating, but it’s saving the environment and saving our air. We want to see what you’re doing to save the air! Make your way over to SaveTheAir.com and share your story with us for a chance to be featured on our website.

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